Gulliver’s Theme Parks is celebrating the successful launch of Land of Lights in Milton Keynes.
The magical mile-long lantern festival officially opened to the public on Saturday (12 November) and will illuminate the skies of the city until February 2023.
Local 10-year-old boy Ronnie declared the event open alongside MKFM host Hawa Kassam after the radio station launched the hunt to find an unsung hero to do the honours last month.
Ronnie was nominated by local charity the Henry Allen Trust, based in Milton Keynes, which has supported Ronnie since he was diagnosed with Wilms Tumour in February 2020.
A select few fortunate guests were lucky enough to enjoy a sneak peek of the attraction during the Land of Lights press preview event on Friday evening, which was a resounding success.
Guests explored the enchanting installations, which includes thousands of individual lanterns and over 63,000 LED lights. The experience also features an eclectic mix of music and entertainment while a wide selection of festive food, street-eats and seasonal drinks are available for purchase.
More than 100 people were involved in the production process undertaken by Zigong Lantern Group, which took more than three months to finish as each lantern is carefully handcrafted by skilled artisans.
The result was an enchanting lantern festival, including 12 vivid dreamworlds featuring gigantic lanterns inspired by animals, mega monuments and wonders of the natural world, attracting a sell-out crowd on its very first night open to the public.
Darren Hoy, Land of Lights Festival Manager, said: “We are so excited to finally open Land of Lights and are delighted to see such hard work paying off in earnest.
“We cannot wait to welcome further guests over the Christmas period and into the New Year.”
